7 days to go
Up and down they rode from Saint-Girons to Loudenvielle. And Gilberto Simoni crossed the line in first place. Polka dot prince Richard Virenque was in third, just a whisker behind the winner after another magnificent performance on the mountain climbs. Vinokourov was sixth with both Lance Armstrong and Jan Ulrich 43 seconds behind him.
This leaves Armstrong, Ulrich and Vinkourov all within just 18 seconds of each other at the top of the overall standings - with the next man nearly 4 minutes off their pace.
Tyler Hamilton shook off his shattered bones once more and was 17th today. But poor David Millar ran out of kleenex part way through and spluttered his way into oblivion in today's stage. In fact we're not sure whether he will actually be finished in time for tomorrow's start.
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| Aussie Rules |
It is two Australians, Baden Cooke and Robbie McEwen, who are battling it out at the top of the Green Jersey standings, with Stuart O'Grady making it 3 Aussies in the top 5.
Now these guys just love to compete and they have now brought that special Australian brand of sportsmanship to the Tour de France. Thor Hushovd, in third place, must be quietly hoping in his pensive Scandinavian way that Bruce and Bruce finally do for each other on one of those massive and dangerous descents.
10:07:26 PM 
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